Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46

Introductory Prayer:

Lord, though I cannot see you with my eyes, I believe you are present to me now, in my innermost being, and that you know me far better than I know myself. I also know that you love me much more than I love my own self.

   Thank you for loving and watching over me, though I don’t deserve your love. In return, I offer you my sorrow for my sins and my hopes to love you more each day. Thank you Lord for another day to serve you and spend time with you in prayer. Please help me to be attentive and docile to all the inspirations you may want to give me today.

Petition:

Sanctify me in my work, Lord. May it bring me closer to you.

1. God Entrusts Us with What He Values:

It’s one thing to purchase an already functional property. It’s quite another thing to purchase a rundown property with the goal of fix it up yourself. Once tidied up, the latter is worth so much more to you. It has become the fruit of your sweat and blood. It is not simply a possession, but; it is a part of you.

   In today’s Gospel, the landowner purchased the land and did all the work himself to establish set up the vineyard before handing it over to the tenants. When he entrusted it to them, he was not simply looking for a profit, but for someone to manage his vineyard. He valued it greatly, greatly enough to knowingly risk the life of his  son.

   Christ has established the his vineyard—, his Church—, and put it into our hands. Christ pays us the compliment of trusting us his work, with what he values. He didn´t only gave us a job to do, but mysteriously puts the eternal salvation of other souls in our hands.

2. He Is Patient with Our Failures:

The land owner didn't stay around to tightly supervise the tenants tightly. He did not even lay down rules or specify methods of cultivation. The master left the cultivators tenants to do their job as they saw fit.

   God is not a tyrannical taskmaster. He knows that laboring in his vineyard is hard work. At harvest time the master sent messenger after messenger. He did not become irate or condemn the tenants after one messenger had been abused and the another mistreated. Rather, he sends them his son: —he does everything possible to bear with his servants’ egotism and inspire them with his understanding and generosity.

3. God Is Equally Repulsed by Our Inactivity as with Our Iniquity:

“Because you are neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15). The graver sin for the Pharisees was not what they decided, but rather their selfish and blind sterility in choosing not to decide. When Christ levies the sentence against the Pharisees, he does not say, “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that respects life” (as serious as this is); rather, he chides them for not producing fruit. Note that the sentence is essentially equally severe; the one offense takes life, the other refuses to give it.

Conversation with Christ:

Lord Jesus, your hands knew human labor, and you sanctified your life and that the lives of those around you through your toil. Help me to see the virtue you teach. Help me to return all my talents to you with by the work of my hands and mind. I want to be your working apostle.

Resolution:

I will accomplish an apostolic task.